Guardians of the White Lotus
by ladyjane025
Summary: Katara and Sokka are hired bounty hunters and will work just about anywhere in the galaxy. When they try to obtain an item that the whole Universe is after, a simple job turns out to be not so simple. It doesn't help that other bounty hunters, like Toph, Momo and Zuko, are ready to make this job for Katara and Sokka a permanent trip into the spirit world. Zutara!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This is my first fan fiction story ever! I have been so impressed with the Zutara fiction out there that I wanted to try. I hope this mash-up of Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar the Last Airbender will be a fun galactic ride for everyone.

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own rights to the Avatar the Last Airbender or Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. I did come up with this mash-up idea and that's about all I can say about that.

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><p>Fire flares out from the space cruiser's lower thrusters, cushioning its descent onto the rocky terrain. Sokka eases forward the steering handle with the palm of his hand; his light touch lowers the landing pads. A cloud of red dust whips up as the space cruiser settles on the ground. His other hand reaches above him and quickly flips several overhead toggles, alternating the positions. A release of smoke plumes out from the back of the spacecraft into the planet's pinkish atmosphere. Sokka grimaces at the main control panel's temperature dial. The needle is reading nine hundred Kelvins.<p>

"Katara, this better be worth it." Sokka flicks one of the switches on the pilot console. The search for life meter's screen immediately illuminates. "The heat outside is way above acceptable Kelvins. If we go out there, we're going to roast like some Draconian fire fuel." A blue beam radiates out into the planet's thick atmosphere. The light is barely discernible in the pink fog that surrounds the space cruiser.

"That is why I had you make the ice shield generator." Katara adjusts the holster, wrapped around her waist. She begins searching the cabin for her other scouting tools. Every drawer she pulls out reveals a jumble of items. "Sokka, I'm not your mother, why do I have to constantly organize this place?" Shifting through several metal cases, she mumbles about Sokka's short life if she wasn't around to clean up after his messes. Pocketing her typical gear into slots of her holster, she can't find where he put the ice shield generator.

"Because it's hard enough to be the brains and beauty behind our operation, I can't be the maid, too."

Katara glares at him and growls threateningly, "Sokka!"

Swiveling around in the captain seat, Sokka notices how Katara is making a mess of his organized chaos. "What are you doing?" He bolts uprights and slams his head into the ceiling above, smashing his skull into several buttons. "Ow!" He plops back down in the cracked leather seat. "Katara! See what you made me do!"

Katara laughs. "Good one, Sokka. For your last comment, I was about to test that freeze ray you made on you." She pats a gun in her holster.

"Trust me, no testing required, if I made it, it will work." Sokka ducks out from pilot capsule. He glances around and counts over several compartments that are flush with the side of the space craft. "The ice shield generator would be classified as a protector, which would mean it can be found in the drawer of freeze dried darmadillo." Grabbing a handle, he yanks open the slot three drawers away from where Katara was looking. The desired device is resting on top of a mound of withered jerky. He lifts out the round disc, thrusting it towards his sister. "You're welcome is all that is necessary as gratitude. Though if you happen to add, you're welcome, your Starlord-ship-ie-ness, it wouldn't hurt."

"That makes absolutely no sense."

"I like Starlord-ship-ie-ness, it has a nice ring to it. I'm hoping it might catch on, at least in this part of the Universe."

Katara ignores his ridiculous nickname. "No, the fact that you stored the ice shield generator in a drawer with a bunch of jerky!" She snatches the round meter from her brother. She pauses briefly to reflect upon Sokka's more annoying traits and concedes that the connection with jerky might not be so tenuous after all. Shaking her head, she focuses upon a more important gripe. "This is why I have to do everything on this lumbering lunkhead of a vessel."

"Hey!" Sokka presses his face against the side of the ship. "Don't call Shipie names." He rubs the slick metal in tender loving circles, while whispering, "She didn't mean it. Katara is jealous of your beautiful majesty and general awesome spaciness."

"I'm not jealous of a space cruiser. I'm trying to understand why you would put the ice shield generator…" Katara stops herself from flying through the asteroid field that is known as her brother's brain. "Forget it, I don't want to know." Attaching the disc to her breast, the instrument adheres to her skintight bodysuit. "How about when I retrieve the bounty you can thank _me_, and we'll call it even."

Sokka drapes his arm around his smaller sibling's shoulders. "Little Sis, you and I know that it will be me getting the item and the bounty."

Katara scowls at him. "Oh really, you and what Draconian army could ever convince me that was going to happen?"

Patting the top of Katara's intricate blue braid, Sokka puffs up his chest. "See, when Dad had us venture out from the Southern Aquaquadrant, because of all of those constant Draconian raids…"

"Uh, Sokka, I don't need some long exposition back story on something that I personally lived."

"A lot of people love back stories. I, for one, am very fond of the part, where we sneak past the Draconian War Dopes to sail the stars as hired bounty hunters…" Sokka winks and flashes his fetching smile across the cabin to a lumpy metal construction, which is slumped against the ship's wall. "Extremely abbreviated back story exposition complete!"

"Are you winking at that lumpy metal sea prune over there?"

"That is not a sea prune! It's dedicated to my dalliance with Suki, when we had that fact finding mission on planet Kyoshisan." Sokka waggles one eyebrow. "I had fun extracting information out of her."

Katara shivers and shoves down the bile that is threatening to rise up in her throat. "Gross, Sokka." She did not want to think about her brother in compromising positions with Suki or any other female alien. "Suki was weird. All those Kyoshisan women looked alike; I don't know how you could even tell one from the other."

Sokka yanks Katara's face closer to his chest, practically smothering her. "Little Sis, this is why, you have a big strong man, the man, obviously being me." He nods his head regally, his short tuft of blue hair, bound in a leather tie, waves with his self-inflated confidence.

Katara pokes her brother in the stomach, which causes him to release her from his chest. His arm is still draped across her shoulders. "So, if I understand this right, you're the man in this scenario? The way your voice cracks sometimes, I'm not always sure if you're finished with puberty, yet."

"My voice doesn't..." Sokka's shrill piercing response makes Katara grin. Even though he is determined to not look at her, he can feel Katara's smile. Lowering his voice into an overly exaggerated baritone, Sokka finishes. "My voice doesn't crack."

"Sure, sure." Katara bobs her head in an exaggerated agreement. "Maybe, I should tickle you and see." Her fingers reach up and wheedle into his armpit.

"Katara!" Sokka complains in a high-pitched whine. "Stop it! I hate tickling." For once, his sister listens, shocking him into a momentary silence.

"Well, finish what you were going to say."

"I can't." Sokka pouts. "You made me forget what I was saying."

Katara folds her arms and tilts her hip into her brother, which knocks him off balance, causing him to wave both arms wildly in the air. She giggles. "I think you were trying really hard to be a male chauvinistic ratpig from the Planet Neaderian."

Sokka manages to not topple over. His eyes bulge out at the mention of food, and he licks his lips with salivating hunger. "Is that the planet where we found those extra spicy fire flakes?" Sokka's flat stomach rumbles. He looks down and pats it reassuringly. "Don't worry guy, after I get this stupid bounty, we'll get some roasted ratpig and fire flakes in you soon."

"Don't you mean, after I get the bounty." Rolling her eyes, Katara tosses her blue haired braid behind her back. "And this stupid bounty is going to save you from being added to Iroh's Collection."

"Don't remind me, Iroh may seem like a kindly Uncle, but that man is tricky, tricky." Sokka yanks out a long blaster gun from a wall of several varying models and straps it to his chest. He looks up and says matter-of-factly. "I think it is his eyes that make him sneaky. They are yellow. Who has yellow eyes?"

An uneasy feeling creeps over Katara. She had pleaded with Sokka to stay away from the collector. Iroh was one of the meanest Pai Sho players in the galaxy, talented in the game and even savvier about extracting his price from the loser. She had cautioned her brother that '_only an idiot would gamble with Iroh_.' Sokka had processed her warning as a challenge. Katara shakes off her dread and settles upon the business of retrieving the requested item, pay back Iroh, and make sure that Sokka avoids all future Pai Sho tournaments within the tri-galactic region.

"The Draconians have yellow eyes, like we have blue hair, and I have the ability to breathe different atmospheres." Katara unhooks the blaster gun from Sokka's chest, returning it to the wall rack.

Sokka scuffs the toe of his boot back and forth against the steel floorboards. "Yeah, you and your spooky magic breathing, it's creepy." He glances up and smiles, "But it does come in handy."

"I love you, too, Sokka." Katara reaches up and kisses her brother's dark skinned cheek.

Sokka smiles, even as he scrubs away his sister's affection. "Ugh! You have to make everything so girlie!"

"You're welcome!" Katara smirks.

"What!" Sokka flails his arms. "I didn't say thank you." He huffs at Katara's victorious giggle. Turning on the heel of his worn boot, he is careful to watch the pilot capsule's low ceiling as he lowers back into his captain chair. "Whatever, get the item and get out there. This is supposed to be an easy job, in and out!"

Katara doesn't respond back to Sokka's cosmic taunt for she is heading toward the back of the ship. Passing through the living quarters and relaxing area, she slips down the hole in the floor to the lower level. Standing in the holding area, she closes the hatch above her head.

The lights in the lower level flick on, indicating the space cruiser is sealed off from the holding cabin. Before every mission, Katara questions the sanity of this wandering life they have embarked. It has made for many an adventure, but mainly a lot of close calls in a permanent visit to the spirit world. All she wants is to be back in the Southern Aquaquadrant with her Gran Gran and Dad; but while the Draconian wage war throughout the Universe that wish isn't a feasible desire. Gran Gran and Dad are lost to her, their lives in too much danger, because of her gift. This gift of breathing different atmospheres feels more like a curse than a blessing.

In times like these, Katara aches for her mother. Her fingers lightly caress the blue ribbon necklace around her throat. Rubbing the dangling pendant, she shuts her eyes and asks for a blessing of protection from her mother. Hoping the prayer can reach beyond the Universe to the spirit world, where all souls travel upon their death. A small tear leaks out of the side of her blue eye. It runs down her cheek, and she can taste the salty sadness of homesickness and loss.

Katara blinks her eyes open. Time to focus on the job, she wants to get off this planet and back to Iroh, before he can begin sending his goons after them. Tapping the disc on her chest, a helmet and plated armor covers her body in overlapping scales. A visor completes the ice shield generator's protection gear. Sokka had taken a random muttering idea from her and really outdid himself this time. She is impressed with his handiwork.

Punching the wall button, it disengages the space cruiser's walkway. As the gangway slowly lowers, heat whooshes into the holding area. The temperature reading monitor on her visor screen rapidly increases in Kelvins. Katara swallows, hoping Sokka's suit can withstand the boiling outside temperatures. Not realizing she had been holding her breath, she exhaled with relief as her skin didn't melt off her body. With a thud, the gangway hits the ground. Katara cautiously steps out into the planet's murky pink atmosphere.

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><p><strong>AN: **Please review, oh great fan fiction public (It will be nice to know that I'm not living in a cosmic writing void)! I'm going to steal an idea about asking character questions from Mrs. Pettyfr (Shout out thank you!). Ask me one character question, the character might respond if they aren't too caught up canoodling with Kyoshisan women. (Sokka, I'm talking to you!)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Mucho Gracias to jumjala for the favorite and first review, big huge trophy of awesomeness to you!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own squat from either Avatar Last Airbender or Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, but I do own this handy dandy paddle board game.

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><p>As the pinky mist encroaches around her, Katara can hardly see beyond a few feet. The dense fog is making her progress slower than normal. Her boots seep into the red dust. The soft powder easily flies up and melds with the current pink fog. Turning to face the space cruiser, she glances up at the pilot capsule.<p>

Sokka is waving wildly at her through the windshield. From his animated gestures, Katara is gathering he is trying to talk to her. She sighs and shakes her head negatively. Shrugging her shoulders and slicing her hand sideways several times, Katara indicates she can't hear him. Frowning, Sokka rubs his chin whiskers, and then smiles widely with insight. He excessively nods, while jabbing his finger toward the pilot console. He must have pushed a button, because a high pitch screech is followed by repeated static pops. Both noises blast into Katara's ear. She nearly leaps out of the ice shield generator suit, so startled by the sounds.

Suddenly, Sokka's loud voice is reverberating around her helmet. "Katara, can you hear me?"

"Sokka, for Yue's sake, be quiet!" The ringing in her ears isn't only bouncing around in her head but the helmet, too.

"Sorry," Sokka whispers. There is a faint indication of additional speech by him, but his words are hardly recognizable.

Katara isn't sure if Sokka managed to make her deaf or is merely being his typical clueless, brother self. "Sokka, you can talk in a normal volume."

"Oh good, I'm not good at whispering."

"Or being subtle either," Katara replies drolly.

"I'll ignore that, because the life readers have finally picked up the item's location." Sokka stares at the console. "It is straight ahead, about a thousand yards." Scratching the scruff on his chin, he leans back in his chair. "By the way, what is the deal on this item?"

Swiveling around, Katara follows the internal orienteering system on her screen visor and walks toward the indicated destination. "We're not paid to know or care. We retrieve the item, get the denarians and then pay Iroh, deal is done."

"Aren't you curious?" Sokka rotates his chair to the side, propping his feet up on the co-pilot's seat.

"Curious can get you killed. I only want to get paid."

Shifting currents lift the pink aura, a brief glimpse of a vast arid wasteland is revealed. She marvels, '_What happened to this planet?_' The charts, she had stolen from the Avatarian Interstellar Alliance files, showed it had been an advanced society but one which had mysteriously disappeared. From what Katara has already gathered from her short time on the planet, life here hadn't died out but had been completely obliterated, ground into dust.

Getting the file from the tight Avatarian defenses had involved Sokka romancing Suki. While her brother kept the librarian occupied, Katara had used Suki's confiscated badge to infiltrate the file system. Luckily, Katara's ability to narrow her focus aided her in working outside of the legal lines and also helped in blocking out exact details of Sokka's flirting. As annoying as her brother could be, he was quite _handsy_ with the ladies. She chuckled to herself, '_handsy_', Sokka would like that joke.

"What's so funny?" Sokka lifts up the reclining lever on the side of his chair. Leaning back, he is able to reach the open drawer of jerky and grab a handful.

"Nothing," Katara alternates the truth about the origin of her chuckle. "I was reflecting on how the Great Avatarians, supposed peace brokers, aren't as clever as they think with their security."

The information, Katara had obtained from the Avatarian system, mainly provided the coordinates for the item. It resided on a planet in the far reaches of the Omashu Galaxy. The artifact was listed only with a corresponding symbol, which Katara hadn't been able to decipher. She had remarked to Sokka, '_I never even knew this part of the galaxy existed. Sokka, this might be..._' Her voiced doubts had vanished into a tirade of proper table manners, because Sokka began picking his teeth with a ratpig bone.

The nagging feeling in her gut flutters. In the past, her instinct had averted potentially nasty outcomes. This time, she quiets her chi, suppressing any anxiety. She can't afford to dump this job. An item fetching four hundred and fifty thousand denarians would not only pay off Iroh, keeping '_Uncle_' happy, but also '_Shipie's_' desperately needed improvements might happen. This was, of course, after she had appeased Sokka's belly. Where her constantly nagging gut aided them, his stomach only got them into trouble.

The red dust had given way to a more sturdy rocky terrain. Drifting farther away from Sokka and the space cruiser, the outside temperature reading on her visor screen steadily drops from raging inferno to a mild flickering fire. Reaching a steep hill, Katara's steel plates encasing her hands are surprisingly flexible as she grabs a jagged protrusion to hoist herself up the rising ridge. She climbs over several boulders. Cresting the rocky outcropping, she slips down a small incline, but slides to a halt.

"Sokka, can you tell if I'm close to the…" Just as Katara is about step out, a breeze moves the blinding dust, revealing a deep ravine. "Whoa!" She clutches the boulder next to her, preventing a short trip down a long abyss.

"Katara!" Sokka's voice crackles with fear. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Katara rests her forehead against the large red stone. She is breathing in deeply, quieting her racing pulse. "Yes, I'm fine." The ravine is too wide across. "Sokka, we've got a problem. Did you happen to build some rocket boosters into this suit?"

"Little Sis, you know your bro takes care of you." Sokka leans back in his captain seat, folding his arms behind his head. "In fact, I put a snack dispenser in the suit. If you…"

"Thanks Sokka, I may regret saying this, but you're the best." Katara pushes away from the rock and stands on sturdier feet. "Now, how do I access it?"

"The rocket boosters or the snack dispenser?"

"What do you think?"

"Since, it's you; _Miss Practically Always Boring_, I'm going with that you meant the rocket boosters. Perform the Dancing Dragon and on the final step, it will activate the system."

"Why would you have the Dancing Dragon activate the boosters?" Katara immediately goes into her chastising voice and stance: hands on hips, shoulders squared, and feet firmly planted. "That is the…" She drops her staunch demeanor, not wanting to validate Sokka's dumb and completely ill-suited nickname for her. Even if her brother couldn't see her, there was no need to give him a checkmark in the sibling-slam scorecard. She clears her voice and begins in a more even tone. "That is really creative, but couldn't you have made it so I speak some command or push a button?"

"Too easy and not as funny," Sokka howls with laughter. "Man, I wish I could see you do the Dancing Dragon in person." He wipes away the tears from both of his eyes, sobering. "Luckily, I anticipated a potential embarrassing episode, so I also installed video capabilities to record this very thing."

"Sokka, you wouldn't dare." Katara can feel her options of sustaining a modicum of dignity is evaporating like most things on this _Yue_ forsaken planet.

"I would and will." Sokka rips off a chunk of jerky. He speaks between mouthfuls, adding flavor to his words with loud chewing sounds. "Now, you might be more willing to give me a little more free time during some of my more important side missions."

"Those side missions have created more irate ex-girlfriends, chasing after our tails, and…"

"Little Sis, it's only fair, since I chase after their tails first. One girl, in fact, had two tails, got really confusing."

"Double Gross!" Katara frowns, realizing Sokka had purposely provoked her about him taking the mission. "You had no intention of coming out here, did you?"

"Nah, someone has to watch _Shipie_, besides it's too much fun to get you riled up."

"Glad that I'm an endless source of entertainment for you."

"We all bring something to the table of this amazing thing we call a partnership." Sokka leans forward and shuffles through a random music selection on the pilot panel. "Would you like your dancing to be accompanied with some tunes? I call it my Awesome Mix, volume one."

"We're not making a soundtrack of our lives, Sokka. So no, I think I can handle the Dancing Dragon…" Music begins filtering into her helmet. "…without it." Katara ends lamely. Her mouth turns down into a resigned position.

Shaking off her irritation, Katara raises both arms. They are spread apart and bent at the elbow, facing the sky. One leg is lifted up, while she balances on the other foot. Sliding into a crouched stance, both arms are diagonally opposed. She walks forward alternating punching hands, before jabbing one arm straight out, and then bringing it down to her opposite side. Katara repeats the movements in a circle. She ends with her fists and arms arcing to the side.

Sputtering sparks and then the boots suddenly ignite. Katara is levitating above the ground. Adding a little more altitude by flicking her feet downwards, she begins the trek across the ravine. Her body angles forward to increase her flying speed. Glancing down into the crevice, she gulps down her fear. The dark void doesn't hint at a bottom. As she crosses, her visor monitor is reading that the outside temperature has fallen to normal levels. The pink fog is even dissipating into a clearer atmosphere. Upon Katara's arrival to the other side, she lands on the ground, snuffing out the boosters' flames.

"Sokka, for whatever reason, I'm at a normal Kelvin temperature reading. We're going to lose communication for a bit, while I disengage the suit."

"Be careful."

Katara taps her chest, and the helmet and visor flip back. The steel scales fold down her back and up from her feet, meeting at the center of her body. The armor slowly retracts into its original disc form on her chest. Pulling out the scanner meter from her holster, she is able to detect shadows of an ancient city. The moving pictures reveal a time capsule of a peaceful society, frolicking families and creatures, all residing within a lush landscape of vegetation. The current comparison to the planet's obvious devastation echoes with vague similarities to what occurred on Katara's home planet. The Southern Aquaquadrant's once great cities are now only lonely stretches of white tundra and limitless expanses of blue water. The mild temperatures and green lands her Gran Gran spoke about are mythic tales for Katara. Her home has become a frigid and stark climate.

The device flickers the long ago image in front of her, calling Katara back to her present mission. Static lines appear, she knocks the side of the apparatus with the palm of her hand. It brightens again, illuminating a direct pathway through the rocky terrain, up a slope and leading into a cave. Without the location tracker, Katara wouldn't be able to detect the artifact's specific position. She jogs up the indicated passage, running into the mouth of the cave.

The rock shelter's inner walls are decorated with ornate pictographs in successive long columns. The symbol, she found in the Avatarian file, is repeated in random spots around the cave. Katara walks over and tentatively reaches out to touch the carvings. She stops herself. A lot of bounty hunter blooper reels, played during seedy-bar theme nights, have repeatedly taught her to not assume anything is harmless. Reaching down to the ground, she picks up a pebble and lobs it against the wall. The pictographs flash brilliantly, instantly turning the rock into powder.

"Nice," Katara mutters, and she doesn't mean in a pleasing kind of way either.

The room is rather barren, but the tracking device pinpoints that the artifact is suppose to be at the center of the rock shelter. There is nothing in indicated space, except for a large floor maze. The intertwining labyrinth turns back onto itself in an endless cycle. The meandering pathways spiral out from a central point and return back to it.

_No beginning or end_. Katara repeats the thought over and over, while her eyes trace the labyrinth. She smiles and crouches down to the ground. Scooping up a handful of red dust, she tosses it out to the center. The red powder coats what was a previously invisible pedestal and the sought after artifact. Standing up, she reaches into a pocket on her holster and pulls out the magnetic retrieval apparatus.

Holding it in her hand, the triangle teeth automatically unfold onto her palm. The device vibrates, radiating out waves of magnetic attraction. The artifact moves on the pedestal, resisting at first the irresistible tug, but it eventually succumbs. The item flies over the maze and lands within the center of the device. The triangle teeth retract back over the artifact, closing around it safely.

"I'll take that from you," A raspy voice demands behind her.

Katara whirls around, "What the Drac?!"

"Like I said, I'll take that item from you." A man with a gruesome scar over his left eye has a giant fire blaster pointed at Katara's chest.

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><p><strong>AN: **I love how the fan fiction platform gives writers and readers a chance to interact more. So drop me a review or a question, I or the character, will try to answer, if we're not too busy eating darmadillo jerky.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **I hope you're enjoying the story.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own nothing and nobody, including anything from ATLA or Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.

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><p>In all the years of being a bounty hunter, Katara had encountered some harrowing situations. It comes with the territory. She had managed to even get herself out of some particularly nasty fights. Not with cunning, but with a well placed upper cut and, in a pinch, her retractable blade.<p>

A Burrower once tried to tunnel Katara out of scoring a rather lucrative job. He would spin in a whirlwind, digging into the earth, only to pop up and shoot at her with his double Ozarian blasters. Pretending to be cornered, she actually was pulling the typical reverse trap on the Burrower. He got sliced with her retractable blade. The Burrower never made the mistake of trying to take one of her gigs again.

While Groot may look like a friendly, overgrown twig, he had the strength of a Komodo rhino. Hand-to-hand combat with him had been a bloody affair, mainly with Katara getting beat-up. That was until she had freeze-rayed a puddle, and Groot ice skated into a wall of rock, knocked-out cold. He turned out to be a rather nice alien, quite helpful; theirs was a classic case of a bounty hunter misunderstanding.

A nasty fight between a Dire Wraith, who shape-shifted into adorable animals, made it difficult for Katara strike back against such fluffy cuteness. Don't get her started on the large eyes which blinked faux helplessness. She had spent a lot of her chi with evading combat. Katara eventually got over the shape shifter's cute alternatives and started kicking its adorable kitten's butt. That's when the Dire Wraith made a huge tactical error; the alien had switched its form into a replicated image of Sokka. The shape shifter assumed Katara wouldn't shoot her brother. What the Dire Wraith hadn't known was that very morning Sokka had used her best pants as a grease rag. The alien was dead the moment he changed into her brother, shot right between its fake-Sokka eyes.

So, the idea that this scar-faced, wanna-be bounty hunter, would think that Katara would hand over the artifact, just because he demanded it, was beyond ludicrous. Nothing made her angrier than when someone assumed she was weak, because she was a girl.

"I wouldn't threaten me!" Katara tosses back her blue braid.

"Don't you know who I am?" The man falters. His blaster dips momentarily, but his face tightens into a straight grimace. He jams the gun more firmly at her, while he takes one step forward.

"I don't have to know who you are, in order to kill you." Katara rolls her eyes. '_This guy must be a first timer._'

The brief shock that he isn't instantly recognizable rattles him. He can't believe this peasant doesn't know him and barks out, "I'm Zuko the Destroyer, prince of my people, son of Thanos, honor bound to…"

Katara tilts her hip, placing her hand on it, while her other one twirls a finger in the air. "Speed it up, I don't have all day to listen to your nicknames."

"These aren't nicknames," Zuko spits out, "peasant." His lips tighten in a thin-lined grin, when the peasant's confidence drops for a second. Zuko boasts, "My names are given in honor."

Katara glares at him. She is a professional, and this is beyond insulting. '_I mean, would it be too much to ask that a fellow bounty hunter give her the courtesy in fighting and avoiding pointless conversations?_' Taking a deep breath, she reasons perhaps a little enlightenment upon the subject of the exact nature of the business might loosen up this…Zuko the Destroyer. '_Yeah right_!' The only thing this prince chump has accomplished is destroying all the hard work good bounty hunters have put into their craft.

"Listen, seeing you're a newbie and all, I won't mess-up your pretty face any more, than someone has apparently already done." Katara waves a hand at Zuko's face, trying to be polite and not stare pointedly at his scar.

Zuko tries to not wince over the puny girl's reference about his obvious mark of failure. He growls, "As if you could hurt me, bounty hunters are honorless fools."

"Whatever, you asked for it, now…" Katara smirks and adds another '_honor name_' to Zuko's list. "…Newbie!"

The quick motion of Katara yanking up her blaster gun from her hip and firing it had happened before she'd uttered her insult. The white flash of flames knocks Zuko in the chest. He flings back underneath the cave's opening, landing flat on his back with a grunt.

"That's how it's done, Newbie." Katara pockets the artifact and her gun into her holster.

"Don't call me, Newbie, Peasant!" Zuko circles his legs and hops up into a stance, firing off his gun.

Katara's eyes widen with fear and surprise. She bends backwards as the blast sails inches above her contorted body. As she flings upwards again, Katara breathes out a jet of fire from her mouth, straight at Zuko's gun. The blaster is knocked out of his hand, slamming against the cave's wall. The pictographs flash and ignite the blaster into a shower of sparkling powder.

"What the Drac?!" Katara and Zuko echo together. They look from the floating powder to each other and back again at the incinerated gun.

'_Whoa, what just happened?_' Katara blinks and touches her hands to her lips. She tries the strange fire explosion again. Bending forward with a wide open mouth, Katara attempts to breathe out another round of fire. Zuko jumps out of the way. Nothing appears. Katara touches her mouth and tentatively holds her hand in front of her lips; she puffs out a gentle breath. Her palm is greeted with a small gust of warm air, but no flames. She drops her hand in confusion.

Zuko grins and thinks, '_you're mine now!_' He lunges at her. Katara hops to the side and swipes out her leg against the floor in a circular motion, tripping Zuko during his charge. He falls flat on his stomach. Katara dashes past him. Zuko snakes out a hand and snags Katara's foot, yanking her to the ground.

"You're coming with me!" Zuko claws up Katara's legs.

Jabbing her foot up into his chest, Katara bites out, "I don't think so!"

Zuko flies off her body. Katara whips around and scrambles off the floor, racing out of the rock shelter. She zig-zags down the pathway.

'_Think, Katara, think!_' I need the rocket boosters, but I have to put on the ice generator suit, and it might slow me down; let's not forget the time consuming Dancing Dragon to ignite the blasted boosters. Katara hears the thundering of Zuko's feet behind her. '_Man, this Newbie never gives up._'

The roar of engines above Katara's head causes her to shield her eyes and glance up. Her braid whips around; wind and dust churn around her. The space cruiser hovers slightly in front of her. She had never been happier to see '_Shipie_'. Sokka is waving wildly at her through the windshield. She returns his greeting. Her brother's eyes narrow at Zuko. Sokka repeatedly pushes the buttons on the side of the steering controllers, firing at Zuko, who darts for cover behind a boulder.

Seeing Zuko is now away from Katara, Sokka rotates the cruiser. The lowering gangway is facing Katara. She backs up. With the guns no longer aimed and firing at Zuko, it gives him enough time to run out from behind the boulder. He rushes at Katara, and she staggers from the impact, pitching forward. Managing to not topple over, Katara shifts enough so that Zuko rolls off her back. He whirls around on his heel; grabbing both of her shoulders, Zuko yanks Katara's back to his chest. She goes limp, making him support all of her weight. Struggling to hold onto her, Katara slips out of Zuko's clutches. She dashes to the gangway, which is hanging down.

With a running leap, Katara grabs the lip of the walkway with one hand. She catches hold and flings her body against the edge, gripping the gangway with both hands. The space cruiser is lifting farther away from the ground. Zuko had recovered and is running after the retreating spacecraft. He veers slightly and up a rocky hill, pumping his legs fast to catch up to Katara, who is being lifted away. With a powerful kick off the end of the boulder incline, Zuko jumps into the air. His arms and legs wildly thrashing to increase his momentum, he strains out and grabs onto Katara's legs.

"Of course, he managed that jump." Katara grouses and shakes her head in disbelief. Sokka had to challenge the Universe with the statement an "_in and out_" kind of job.

Katara claws her way up the gangway, while trying to kick Zuko off from her. His hold is a vice grip on her legs. The space cruiser's engines fire, while the walkway tilts back upwards, slowly shutting. The incline makes Katara and Zuko slide down the gangway, tumbling into the holding area. They skid into the far wall. Simultaneously, Zuko and Katara pop up into fighting stances as the walkway seals shut.

"You're coming with me!" Zuko lunges toward Katara.

Katara side-steps out of the way, narrowly missing his attack. "Seriously, Newbie, you're on my ship! I'm pretty sure we have you!"

"A mere technicality." Zuko watches for an opening to grab her.

Katara shakes her head and makes a move to punch him in the shoulder. "I'm not going to try to sort out your warped thinking." Katara couldn't believe there was someone who had more twisty-turnie ways of perceiving things than her brother. "It will be much more fun to kick your butt."

"If this is all you've got, it will be me subduing you." Zuko blocks her jab with a raised arm.

Zuko swings toward Katara's face. Her head turns to the side from the punch, but she counters back with an undercut into Zuko's stomach. He stumbles, but follows-up with a swift kick to her front. She swivels to the side, but not enough and gets hit in the hip. She staggers a little, but then drops to the floor into a side posture, snatching her retractable blade from her pocket.

"Newbie, I said before I wouldn't hurt your face. Now, I'm going to make sure I hurt you a lot." As Katara moves to cut him, the space cruiser spins around in a sharp circle and flings both combatants away from each other.

Katara's hand slams against the side of the ship's inner wall. The jarring motion knocks the blade from her grip. The space cruiser accelerates, angling upwards. The blade goes skidding down the holding area, with Katara and Zuko tumbling after. Reaching toward each other, Zuko and Katara fight, while they slide to the back of the ship. Rolling over each other, alternating who will dominate the other, punches are flying back and forth. The ship pauses and finally levels out.

Both stop their fighting, breathing heavily. Zuko is on top of Katara; his weight pressing between her legs.

"Give me what I want, peasant."

"You didn't say, please." Katara jabs her forehead up into Zuko's. The blow knocks him off of her, next to her body. He lays stunned and unconscious.

Katara shuts her eyes a couple of times as the adrenaline leaves her system, replacing it with utter pain. Stars swim before her eyes, spiraling in concentric dizzying patterns. Before she passes out, she reminds herself that a head-butting move may look cool, but it hurts like one of the dankest and darkest places of the spirit world.

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><p><strong>AN: **Action is going to be the theme from now on. I don't know if we'll ever have time for lemons, but I'll try to squeeze some in (ba, da, bump, here all day, or at least while I have an internet connection.) That said, I'll give a warning beforehand.

Please, please, review, thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Love seeing all the views (international, too), would love it more if someone left a review. Obvious hint implied:)

**Disclaimer: **I bow to the great ones before me and willingly admit, I'm not worthy and own nada of **ATLA** and **Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy**.

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><p>Sokka jiggles Katara's shoulder, waking her. She bolts upright with fists swinging, ready to attack Zuko again. Her last memory is of him lying on top of her. She can still feel his hard body pressed against her hips; his hot breath on her cheek.<p>

Sokka, familiar with his sister's aggressive starts when woken suddenly, steps clear of her potential pummeling. "Whoa, little sister, I'm not the one you should be punching out."

"Where is he?" Katara tenses. Her eyes dart around the cabin.

"Mr. Ponytail man? I've got him immobilized with that shirshu juice June gave me." Sokka jabs his thumb in the corner of the cabin. Zuko's head is slumped forward. His chin rests against his chest; the long black ponytail covers his scar. Sitting in a chair, Zuko's knees are pressed firmly together, with his arms rigidly held against his sides.

Katara relaxes, and then notices she is on her bed. The covers are wrapped around her legs. She leans down and untangles the blanket, tossing it away from her. "June gave it to you? I remember she had to be persuaded to depart with it. Shirshu juice is highly sought after on the black market and not given up lightly."

Sokka waggles his eyebrows. "Exactly, I persuaded her really well." His eyes flit to the captive, and Sokka's jaw tightens. "Now, about Mr. Ponytail man..."

Katara ignores her brother's obvious disapproval. "Actually, it's Prince Ponytail man." She stretches her arms and yawns. "He would tell you he is Prince Zuko the destroyer." Her mouth contorts in another exaggerated yawn as she speaks. "Son of blah, blah, honestly, I was bored by all of his titles, I stopped listening." She grins. "I was fond of my nickname, though; I called him Newbie."

"I think I like Prince Ponytail the best." Sokka glares at the man, who wasn't easy to lug up through the hatch. "All I know is he must eat rocks, because he was dead weight trying to get him up from the hold."

"I'm impressed you got both of us out of there." Katara resists her mouth quirking up into a smile, forcing out a sincere compliment. "All that working out is paying off."

Sokka flexes his arms. His biceps show nice definition and tone, reflecting his obvious attention with daily chin ups. "I couldn't leave my sister down in Shipie's bowels." His affection turns to irritation as he points accusingly at her. "Imagine my surprise, when I discovered that the guy attacking you over our bounty, has hitchhiked across the galaxy on Shipie. I can't believe you let him stowaway with us? You usually immobilize rival bounty hunters, before they know they have been hit with a freeze ray."

Katara folds her arms in frustration. Zuko may have gotten on the space craft, but she was the one to knock him out. She refuses to focus on the more pointed observation that she had gotten herself knocked out as well. Her bounty hunter pride was already slightly dented; there was no reason to pound it into oblivion.

Shrugging, she swings her legs off the bed to stand. "He was very persistent about not letting me go." As she rises, a wave of dizziness washes over her and falls back on the mattress.

Sokka reaches for her. "Steady, Katara, you were out for a little while."

Touching her forehead, Katara can feel a faint bump. "How long was I out?" Her fingertips note the raise area isn't that pronounced.

"Considering I found you stone cold unconscious, maybe an hour tops, not as long as you should have been." A reminiscent expression crosses Sokka's face. He rubs his square jaw affectionately. "Reminds me of our old penguin bowling days, where you were the ball and the penguins were the pins." Sokka stares at his sister, reflecting upon their five years roaming the stars together. "I miss those days. Why Dad had to stop me from bowling you, I'll never know. It's not like you ever got seriously hurt."

"Dad was looking out for us, just like we do for each other." Katara reaches out and grips her brother's hand. "Thanks for coming to get me. I don't know what I would have done, if you hadn't."

Sokka squeezes her hand, "That's what big bro's do." He puts on a goofy grin. "I made something for you to drink that might help jiggle back any loose wires in your brain which have gotten disconnected." Moving over to the small kitchenette, Sokka presses a button and a door pops open. He pulls out a steaming mug, and then walks over, handing it to her. "This drink is perfect for curing hangovers or nasty head trauma." He shrugs. "In some cases, both."

Wrapping her hands around the mug, Katara takes a drink. Liquid contents spray out of her mouth; coughing, she tries wiping the revolting contents from her tongue. "What the Drac?! Sokka, are you trying to poison me?"

Sokka wrenches the mug from his ungrateful sister and swallows the drink with one gulp. "It's only pureed armadillo jerky, cabbages, and moon peaches."

"I'll make something for myself, thank you." Katara pushes off the bed gingerly. Her feet feel steadier than before. She moves to the kitchenette and begins the preparations for hot tea.

Sokka kicks Katara's cot closed with his boot. It disappears into the wall. "How did you knock him out?"

"I used my head and thought of a solution." Katara drops the tea bag into the steaming water.

"What was it?"

"It was my head." Katara smiles and lifts the mug to her nose.

"Hey, making jokes is my thing." Sokka moves to the far wall and touches a huge screen. He swipes across, noting star charts and tracks their position with his finger.

The rich jasmine wafts near Katara, warming her senses. She breathes in deeply and takes a drink, sighing. "That's the stuff, much better." She leans against the counter. "Sokka, Zuko knew about the package."

Running a finger along the screen, a red line follows the path he is making. Sokka scowls. "Who's Zuko?"

Katara says a little irritatingly. "Prince Ponytail."

"Oh him," Sokka uses his thumb and forefinger to widen a small area on the screen. The area magnifies and shows an asteroid cluster. "It's kind of obvious he knew about it, since he was attacking you, and the Omashu Galaxy isn't a typical tourist spot."

Katara watches Zuko over her mug. He seems harmless slumped in the chair. The defined muscular quality to his body is evident even in his relaxed state. She stops her thoughts and firmly reminds herself the bounty hunter code: Do NOT get involved with anyone and especially the enemy. She straightens. "We're going to have to dump him off somewhere."

"Trust me a plan is already in the works." Sokka swings around from the screen, leaving the map and route projected. I need to go to the cockpit and check on some specific data.

Katara finishes her tea. The hot liquid warms her belly. "That's fine; I want to get a shower. I feel very gross and dirty."

"Trust me, you don't smell that great either." Sokka ducks barely missing the flying mug. In his crouched position, he glances to the side. "Good thing, I invested in titanium plates and cups, or we wouldn't have anything to eat or drink from." Picking up the metal mug, he tosses it to his sister.

Katara catches and places it on the counter. "Just go, we need to get to Republic City, if we want to try to sell the package."

"Don't worry, this will just be another tale for the next sleazy pub share and tell." Sokka exits the room.

Katara moves to the shower unit, beginning to strip off her clothes. Soon, the hot water is pelting her naked skin.

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><p>Zuko groans, as his head lolls to the side. Blinking his lids, his eyes adjust to the dim light, and then widen in surprise. The peasant girl's naked back is facing him. The curve of her spine arches as she pulls down a shirt over her head. Her mocha colored skin moves in fluid motions, as her arms thread through each of the sleeves. Lifting out her long blue hair, it hangs down her back in rippling waves. The shirt rests above the thin material, covering her round bottom. She steps into a pair of crumpled pants on the floor, shimming them up her calves and thighs. Her bottom sways back and forth as the pants are pulled over the curve of her hips.<p>

Zuko swallows and looks away. It doesn't feel proper to stare, but his eyes peek sideways at her again. She has turned so her front can be viewed. The blue waves cascade over her shoulder; her fingers run through the strands, brushing out the curls. She begins to nimbly twist the blue locks into a braid. As she reaches for a leather vest hanging on a nearby hook, her shirt tightens, accentuating her ample bosom, pulling tightly against her breasts. Zuko can feel the tip of his ears warming, as his body is suddenly aware that the peasant is very much a woman. His eyes dart down again.

Azula would never be embarrassed; Zuko's sister would seize this vulnerable situation as a perfect opportunity to capture the peasant. Zuko's indecision, over improperly spying on a woman, is quickly resolved that he'll do whatever it takes to not fail in his mission. Attempting to get up, he discovers that his body is immovable. Struggling, he can only turn his head. Glancing about, he can tell there are no obvious ties holding him, but his arms are very much locked at his sides.

"Gah!" Zuko tries to break free from the chair and his invisible bonds. "What have you done to me?" The cords in his neck muscles pulsate as he struggles against this imposing force.

"Well, it is about time that sleeping beauty woke up." Katara raises an eyebrow, while she snaps her holster around her waist. "How was your little nap?"

"Little nap?! You knocked me out." Zuko fumes. He had been so close to reclaiming the prize; the means to gain favor in his father's eyes.

"It wasn't fun for me either." Katara places her hands on her hip. "You attacked me!"

"Release me, now!" Zuko tries moving again, but can only thrash his head back and forth.

"You don't have any manners, do you?"

"I don't need to show manners to a peasant." Zuko glances around the room for an object to help him out of his constrictive predicament.

The room is sparse and limited in furniture. A circular table is in front of Zuko and several other sturdy chairs are scattered around. An efficiency kitchen with the appropriate appliances to reconstitute food is off to his side. A plate of leftover food rests on the counter. Zuko stares hungrily at the brown blob of oozing food. Despite the unappetizing remnants, he licks his lips.

Katara catches Zuko staring at Sokka's latest concoction. '_This guy must be really hungry if that slop looks appealing._' Walking over to the kitchen, Katara passes by Zuko. She can feel him watching her. Yanking out a drawer, a sound of air and cold wisps swirl upwards. She grabs some fresh ingredients from the storage. Closing the drawer with her knee, she starts preparing the food.

"What are you doing?"

"You're obviously hungry, so I'm taking pity on you and making something for you to eat."

"I don't want any of your disgusting peasant food." Zuko's stomach grumbles. He glowers at his betraying belly.

Katara whirls around in exasperation. "First, my name is Katara, not peasant, Katara!" She stomps over to him and lowers her face so it inches from his own. "Second, you are lucky that Sokka didn't jettison you out into space."

"Sokka?" Zuko tries leaning back, but can only distance himself so far.

"He's my brother." Katara softens her answer, realizing how close she got to his face. The unscarred half was decidedly handsome. She swings around, stepping back to prepare the food.

"Is he the one that," Zuko attempts to wiggle again, but can't get any movement and concludes in frustration, "did this to me?"

Katara tosses over her shoulder as she finishes combining the ingredients. "Considering you were attacking me and hitched a ride on Shipie, he was very generous with his hospitality."

"Shipie?"

"The name of our…" Katara expels a long sigh and places the food in front of him. "Forget it, it doesn't matter."

"How am I going to eat that?"

Katara grins, "I was going to feed you, if you were a good boy." She slides up on the table and crosses her legs. "Now, I need to know why you wanted that package."

Zuko averts his head and barks petulantly. "I don't need to tell you anything."

"Fine, I guess you won't eat anything either." Katara shrugs and picks up the plate and fork. Taking a bite of the food, she makes satisfied sounds. "Hmmm, this is really good."

Zuko whips his head back. His eyes widen, and his stomach voices its dissenting opinion again. Katara has closed her eyes. Her full lips close around a morsel, capturing it in her mouth. She withdraws the fork and works the food around, making pleasurable groans of delight.

Licking his lips, Zuko bursts out. "Fine, what do you want to know?"

Katara places the plate down. She asks in a rush. "How did you know about the package, and who sent you to retrieve it? Does anybody else know about it?"

Zuko's eyes narrow. Katara gave away too much with her blatant eagerness for information. He may be restrained in this chair, but he has the upper hand. "Before I tell you anything, I want to be released from my bonds."

"What!" Katara pops off the table. "Who are you to give demands of me?"

"I'm the person with all of the answers, and you have only questions, so you tell me."

"Listen, newbie!" Katara points her finger at him.

Zuko frowns and fires back arrogantly, "Prince Zuko the destroyer!"

"Whatever, Prince Ponytail..." Katara stands in front of him.

Zuko clarifies again with pride, "My name is Prince Zuko, son of Thanos!"

Sokka rushes into the room. "What in all that is Yue is going on?" He pulls up short and nods. "Well, it looks like Prince Ponytail is awake."

"Peasant, you obviously know no manners. I'm conducting a negotiation here. Be gone!"

Sokka shakes his head and looks back and forth between his sister and the moron that called him a bird. "Did he just call me a pheasant?" He steps forward, enunciating his words and adding further clarity with a louder speaking volume. "I don't know what planet you are from, but I'm not a bird. I'm a man."

Katara laughs, covering her mouth. The sight of her incredulous brother and scowling Zuko was too hilarious.

Zuko directs his glare to Katara. "What is so funny?" He lowers his eyes, the scarred one squintier than his other.

"Nothing," Katara sobers. "Zuko, Sokka," she points between the two men. "Sokka meet Zuko."

Sokka ignores the introduction and moves his head toward the screen on the wall. "Listen, Katara, we've got a problem."

"I know, Zuko won't tell us what he knows; when obviously…" Katara tilts her head smugly, throwing Zuko's descriptor back at him. "…he is our prisoner." She returns Zuko's scowl with one of her own. Hers is not as menacing, since she doesn't posses a fierce scar.

"No, Toph has found us."

"Where?!" Katara races to the screen to flip to the tracking page.

"No!" Sokka tries to stop her, but his sister has already swiped across the display.

Toph's face looms in front of them. Her bangs dangle in front of her eyes, but not enough to obscure her tight lined smirk. "Snoozles, Sugar Queen, good to see you, especially right before I kill you both." Her blank eyes counter her statement, but her words mean business.

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><p><strong>AN: **Sorry about the month between. I've got a long range plan and possible serial in the works. I can see this story going in many ways. Please drop me a line, would love to hear from someone...anyone?


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Happy New Year! First follower shout-out to Pacer287, I appreciate it so much. This story is a space time (what little I have) adventure for me. I am encouraged to pick up the word speed with the appearance of reviews, favorites and follows. So Pacer287, you got me excited, even with all my family's Christmas time chaos, to get busy writing and finish Chapter Five.

**Disclaimer:** My New Year's resolution is to pledge that Avatar the Last Airbender and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy do not belong to me.

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><p>Sokka drops to the floor with his limbs sprawled out. His belly inches along, scurrying away from the monitor. Katara angles her head to the side, gaping at her brother over her shoulder. She is completely befuddled over her brother's actions.<p>

Even Zuko's perpetual frowning expression is more baffled than angry. Trying to ignore the bizarre behavior of the peasant called Sokka; Zuko closes his eyes and concentrates on funneling his chi toward his body's extremities. His energy gathers and flushes toward his fingers and legs. Zuko's internal temperature begins to invigorate his blood, attempting to burn off the poison that has immobilized him. Even with the powerful influx of chi, his limbs still seem to be frozen.

Katara hisses to Sokka's wiggling form, "What are you doing?"

Toph flicks her head to the side, hearing Katara's whisper to her brother. Toph's face becomes tight with a thin lined grin. "Sugar Queen, I can answer your question for you. It sounds like Sokka is being his lily livered self as usual, running away from trouble." Her finger jabs at the screen, looming large in the monitor. "Snoozles, I should have made mincemeat out of you long ago, serving you up to the crew." A murmuring of agreement is echoed with faint sounds of salivating lip-smacking over the proposed menu delicacy. "I saved your life, don't you forget it!"

The horror on Sokka's face and slow drain of color causes Katara to hurriedly stand in front of the screen, "Back off Toph! Stop threatening to eat Sokka!"

Sokka yanks on Katara's leg, causing her to wobble. She tries to shake him off, as he points toward the front of the ship several times. Katara nods her head in dawning comprehension that Sokka is trying to move toward the pilot cockpit. Katara waves her hand to continue, indicating for him to move in that direction. Sokka starts scrunching up his legs and pushing forward, crawling along the floor.

Dropping her head back, Katara wonders how her brother can be amazingly gifted with plans, but completely clueless about other things. She stomps over to his wiggling body, reaching down she grabs Sokka's arm and yanks him upward. Sokka stumbles upright and points to the screen with absolute fear, ducking behind his sister. Katara swivels around. Standing in front of her brother, her eyes enlarge as she moves her palm in front of her eyes quickly; miming that she can't see and then points to the screen. Remembering that Toph is blind, Sokka slaps his forehead.

Toph jabs her finger threateningly at Katara, pointing in a different direction than where Katara is standing. "Sugar Queen, you should have been my dessert course, always the sweet one to stick up for her…" Toph taunts, "_older_ brother." She flings her head in the opposite direction from where Sokka is cowering. "Snoozles don't even think about disconnecting this call, too."

"Toph, calm down, we didn't do anything." Katara waves her hand at her brother for him to get out of the room. Sokka skulks off to the cockpit.

"Didn't do anything, didn't do anything," Toph cackles. Her mouth opens wide, illuminating her white teeth. There is sudden laughter in the background. Toph swings her hand behind threateningly, and the nervous chuckles cease. "You double crossed me; nobody and I mean nobody double crosses Toph Beifong."

Katara cocks her hip and places her hand on it, glaring at the screen. "Toph, thieves code remember, no double crosses only dibs on who scored." She glances at her fingernails and says with a feigned bored intonation, "Can't help it that you're too slow."

"Thieves code doesn't apply to me!" Toph steps closer to the screen, her face taking up the whole space of the monitor. "You dare quote thieves code to me, when I created thieves code." Her bangs swing in front of her milky white eyes. "Don't you forget that I brought the both of you into this crew, _my crew_, gave you one of _my_ ships."

Sokka stomps back into the room, shoving Katara to the side. Standing in front of the monitor, he yells into the screen furiously. "Toph, you know good and well Shipie is mine. You were going to send her to the scrap heap." He swaggers in front of the screen, jabbing at his broad chest. "I'm the one that fixed her up! I'm the one that brought her back to life!" He pats the side of Shipie's wall lovingly. "You can't take back what you never wanted." Sokka glares into Toph's milky eyes. "She's mine!"

Toph bangs swing as she jeers. "Lookie, lookie, Snoozles has got himself a girlfriend, a big, pretty, whittle ship." She swings around and barks, "Well, boys ain't that funny?" The screen suddenly reveals a rag tag group of miscreants, glancing nervously at each other. When one half-heartedly chuckles, the other members from the scraggly crew awkwardly join in with suspicious glances aimed toward Toph. Their leader nods her head appreciatively, and the laughter becomes less forced and more boisterous.

One particular large giant with an oiled barrel chest barges forward. He pops his knuckles and alternatively flexes his pectorals. His muscles bounce in time to his words. "The Boulder always wanted to crack Sokka and Katara's skulls." Stroking his black beard, he adds, "The Boulder would like to eat their brains for dinner."

Katara, very familiar with "The Boulder's" posturing, uses his distraction to whisper into Sokka's ear, "Get to the cockpit and get us out of here!" She glances at the screen, seeing that Toph has folded her arms with a pleased expression upon her face. Katara looks back to her brother's angry face. "You know Toph is stalling for time to lock in on our exact location."

Toph swings back to the screen and turns her head slightly, listening intently with a tight expression upon her face. She barks across the crew's bumbling laughter, cutting them off. "I can't hear your fear." She swings to her left and barks off screen. "Longshot, have you locked in on the ship yet? I'm sick of talking. I want to start shooting!"

While trying to break his invisible bonds to no avail, Zuko had been absently noting the petty banter back and forth between this honorless band of thieves. After failing to break free, he yells out in frustration. "You must be blind! These peasants are plotting against you this very minute."

Sokka slaps the screen, and the monitor goes black. He whirls around. "Thanks for stating the obvious, Prince Idiot."

The muscles in Zuko's neck flare. "You're the idiot!" He vainly tries to struggle against his bonds, again. He huffs, "She could see what was happening the whole time."

"Were you even watching the screen, or were you too busy trying to escape?" Sokka stomps over to Zuko. Glaring down at the prisoner, he states clearly the situation that Zuko is tied up in. "Stop wasting your time. Shirshu can only be diffused with an antidote."

Zuko blusters, while his good eye bulges with yellow rage. "You will regret keeping me tied up like this."

Katara interjects between her brother and Zuko. She pushes against both of their chests and barks. "You're both idiots!" She swings her head toward her brother and pleads. "Sokka, we don't have time for this. We need to get out of this star system fast!"

As he leans past Katara's shoulder, pushing against her hand, Sokka answers fiercely to his sister's statement while glaring at Zuko. "Fine!" Abruptly turning around, he races towards his captain seat. Bending low, he climbs into the chair and switches off the autopilot command. Flipping switches and checking the instruments, he brings back the steering column. The engines rev up, and the ship lurches forward.

Katara braces herself against the table. Zuko almost topples over, but Katara snatches out her hand to stop the chair from falling. While one hand gripping the side of the table, she uses her other hand to push against Zuko's taut upper arm, shoving him right again.

Holding onto the table, Katara's body adjusts to the rapid acceleration. Feeling steadier, she faces Zuko. With both hands on her hips, accentuating her small waist, she yells. "And you! You are the worst prisoner ever!"

Zuko is startled by her statement and forgets his planned fiery retort. "You've had other prisoners?"

Katara reflects upon Sokka and her past adventures while being part of Toph Beifong's gang. Realizing most the previous prisoners on the Blind Bandit's ships had been eaten after minor questioning, minus the two Southern Aquaquadrant siblings. "_Thank the spirits, Sokka is funny._" His humor had saved their lives and gotten them off the menu.

Even with their mandatory volunteer sign-up to the Blind Bandit's fellow party of bounty hunters, Sokka and Katara never partook in the crew eating proclivities. Sokka had more than once remarked with a queasy expression, _"I may love meat, but even I have standards."_

Reluctantly, Katara had to admit her declaration had lost some of its merit. Zuko was technically their first prisoner, since they had gone independent. Sokka and Katara's main problem was that it is very hard to go solo, when your previous boss still considers you part of her crew.

Katara tilts her chin down and lowers both of her eyes to squints, similar to the thin slit of Zuko's scarred yellow eye. "You just rained Toph's wrath upon us. Let me tell you, Toph Beifong doesn't take kindly to being double crossed."

"I didn't do anything. Remember, I'm just a lowly prisoner." Zuko smirks. "I thought you said that thieves code only meant dibs."

"You paid attention to that." Katara rolls her eyes. "Puh-lease, Toph's thieves code is only code for that she gets the bounty period." Katara cocks her hip provocatively. "Why do you think the Beifong's ship crest is a flying pig; because pigs will fly in space before she shares a bounty with anyone, even her own crew."

Zuko chooses to ignore Katara's subtle gesture, which accentuates the curve of her hip down to her shapely thighs. He swallows and blurts out. "I only want the item. Give it to me, and I will help you escape."

"Help us!" Katara makes a stunned laugh. "We're not the idiots." She tilts her head to the side and sighs over her brother's earlier antics. "Okay, I'm not an idiot. You can barely help yourself right now. I set you free and then you'll try attacking us both. It is bad enough that we have to deal with Toph. I'm not adding Prince Newbie to the list."

Zuko feels beyond insulted. She is lecturing him on what he would do. She doesn't know him and from what he has seen about Katara and her brother, they need all the help they can get. "I give you my word that I will not attack you while on this ship."

"Yeah, right." Katara moves toward the back the ship and the ladder that leads up to the gunner dome.

Zuko spits out with disgust, "You people know nothing about honor; how could you possibly understand that I mean what I say and will not break my word."

Katara pauses and glances over her shoulder, gripping the sides of the ladder. She may not be especially proud of her way of life, but it is a living ‒ a living driven out of a need to stay alive and keep unwanted attention and attacks from her family and home world. Stomping in front of Zuko's vision, he averts his head. Katara reaches out and grabs his chin with her hand, wrenching his face so that he is looking at her.

"We were a peaceful people, until the Drac came and wrecked our home with their warmongering machines." Zuko's eyes widen, even the scarred one enlarges slightly. Katara stares into his yellow eyes with hatred. "I know who you are, Prince Zuko of the Drac. Your people have destroyed countless planets, burning-out families from their homes." Katara drops her hand, turning away from Zuko. She fingers her pendant. "I didn't connect who you were at first," she snorts, "even with all your names." She feels the smooth disc at her throat. "It dawned on me right before I knocked you out, I could finally see the color of your eyes, that you were once the Prince of the Drac." Whipping around, she sneers at him, "Sokka and I only became thieves until after everything we had was stolen from us."

Zuko's face tightens, and his chilly voice matches Katara's tone. "What a sad story, but you're mistaken about one important thing. The Drac are no longer my people. My name belongs to Thanos."

Suddenly, the ship lurches. Katara lands on top of Zuko's lap. Falling against his chest, the chair wobbles with their combined weight. Her arms automatically come up against either side of Zuko's face. Her hands land against the kitchenette's counter, stopping them from toppling over. Katara's braid falls against Zuko's cheek. A faint whiff of a delicate flora scent fills his senses.

Sokka yells from the pilot cockpit. "Katara, Toph found us! From the amount of fire power that is shooting at us, she isn't very happy that I disconnected the call. You need to get to the gunner, pronto!"

Katara shakes herself from the warm sensation beneath her bottom and how strong Zuko's thighs feel. Focusing herself, she pops off from his lap. "On it, Sokka!" She dashes toward the gunner's ladder.

Another blast throws Katara against Shipie's wall. Sokka hits the autopilot button on the console and clamors out of the captain seat. He stumbles past Katara.

"Shipie's been hit." Sokka yanks open a bin from the wall and pulls out an extinguisher.

Katara scrambles after Sokka. She climbs up the ladder, while he disappears down into the hold. Pulling herself into the seat, her eyes glance up and see the giant Beifong vessel, looming in the distance. The flying pig emblem is emblazoned upon Toph's ship. Katara quickly grabs the gun's controls and starts laying down rapid fire, praying to the spirits for a miracle to get them out of here, in one piece, and not in tiny little ones which are scattered throughout space.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm going to start a little game, a little Space Egg Hunting Game. I will plant some famous space movies/TV show references in chapters, see if you can find and identify. Love me some Eater Bunny Eggs (Bock, Bock Eater Bunny)!


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